Feeding device



Nov. 27, 1928. 1,693,371 J. o. DEEGAN FEEDING DEVICE Fild Dec. a1, 19266l b ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 27, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES O. DEEGAN, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR TO ANCHOR CAP &;CLOSURE CORPORATION, OF LONG ISLAND CITY, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEWYORK.

Application filed December The present invention relates to feedingdevices and more particularly to a feeding bottle having an elasticfeeding means rigidly securedthereto.

Feeding bottles heretofore have comprised a small container or bottlewith an annular bead or lip about the mouth thereof adapted to receive anipple. In using such bottles the food such as milk, and likewise thecontainer and nipple, are first sterilized; thereafter the bottle isfilled and the lower edge of the nipple is stretched over the mouththereof. To assemble the nipple and the bottle it is necessary to holdone side of the nipple under the lip of the bottle and to pull the otherside over until it can be snapped on. The nipple must be of extremelystrong elastic material otherwise it will come off the bottle during thefeeding. It must also be considerably under size for the same reason.This renders the application of the nipple to the bottle a verydifficult manipulation, necessitating excessive handling of thesterilized parts. Frequently the bottle slips from the hands and thecontents are spilled or contaminated if the bottle itself is notlbroken.Furthermore, during the feeding after the nipple has been applied thephysical accomplishments of the infant have to be taken intoconsideration, since after a certain age the infant will hold the nipplefirmly in its mouth and pull on the bottle. The natural result is thatthe nipple pulls off and the food is spilled.

The present invention eliminates thecabove difiiculties by providing athreaded member having an aperture in its cover portion so that it maybe slipped over the nipple. An inturn'ed flange at the upper part of themeniber engages the head at the bottom of the nipple and when the memberis threaded onto a container the head is securely retained between theflange and the mouth of the bottle. In this manner the nipple may berigidlysecured to the mouth of the container to form a liquid-tight sealwhich cannot be disturbed by pulling the nipple or in any other mannerother than by removing the threaded member. The assembling operationsare extremely simple and danger of spilling or contaminating the food iseliminated.

An object of the present invention is to provide a simple and effectivemeans for securing a nipple to a feeding bottle.

Another object of the invention is to fa- IFEEDING DEVICE.

31, 1926 Serial No. 158,193.

free from sharp projections likely to injure an infant.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious from anunderstanding of the illustrated embodiment about to be described, andmany other advantages not specifically referred to herein will occur toone skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice. 1

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes ofillustration and descriptionand is shown in the accompanying drawings,wherein Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the nipple and retainingmember assembled;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the nipple and retaining member applied toa container {and Fig. 3 is a detailed view of the nipple, con tainer,and retaining member, unassembled,

"the retaining member being shown insection.

Referring to the drawings there is showhh common form of nipple 1, whichmay be purchased for a nominal price. Such nipples are made of elasticmaterial such as rubber with a reinforced beaded lower edge 2 adapted tobe stretched over the mouth of the container, and with an aperture 4 inits upper end for the escape of the food. A sheet metal retaininum orthe like, having a downwardly depending skirt 6 with screw threads 7therein adapted to engage co-operating threads 8 on the mouth of abottle 9. The upper portion of the skirt may be knurled to aconsiderable depth to improve the looks of the cap and to facilitategripping for removal thereof.

An inwardly extending annular flange 10 is formed at the upper portionof the skirt and adapted to extend over the edge 11 of the bottle whenthe member is threaded thereon. The lower edge of the skirt may beturned upwardly into a wire edge 12 to conceal and protect the raw edgethereof, and likewise the free edge of the flange 10 may be turnedinwardly to conceal the raw edge thereof as shownat 14. The width of theflange 10 and the size of the aperture 15 is such that the nipple 1 willreadily extend mg member 5 is provided preferably of alumthrou h theaperture and the reinforcing bead 2 of t e nipple will be engaged by theflange 10. The nippleand retaining member may be sterilized as a unitwithout dissembling or each part may be sterilized separately; likewisethese parts may be sold as a unit or sep 'arately. When the retainingmember is aplied to the container with the nipple assem bled therein,the beaded edge 14 of the flange engages the reinforcing bead on thelower edge of the nipple and presses it firmly against the rim of thecontainer and holds the nipple securely in position. The heavy elasticroll or bead of the nipple pressedbetween the rim of the container andthe flange 10 acts as a gasket forming a liquid-tight seal which cannotbe disturbed by any pull exerted by an infant on the nipple.

It will be seen. that a feeding bottle has been provided, the part-s ofwhich may be readily assembled without danger of spilling the contents.A secure liquid-tight seal is formed which cannot be disturbed oraffected by the rough usage to which it may be sub jected since it issecurely held in position by a rigid threaded member through which anydesired pressure may be applied to the rein forced beaded edge of thenipple. All rough surfaces of the retaining member are turned in so thatthere is no danger of injury in the use of the bottle. Further theretaining member isreadily applicable tOFIllPPlGS and containers incommon use.

As various changes may be made in the above embodiment without departingfrom the spirit of the invention, it is to be understood. that allmatter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

- 'Having thus described my invention, I claim; Y

1., A'feeding bottle comprising a container, a nipple having an annularbead at its lower edge, and a metallic member having an aperture in itsupper portion adaptedto receive said nipple, the upper part of saidmember havingl a narrow flange adapted to extend over t e bead on saidnipple, with the free edge of said flange bent downwardly to engage andto hold said nipple in position on the end of said container.

2. A feeding bottle comprising a container, a retaining member adaptedto be attached to said contalner, said member having an aperture in itscover portion, whereby an annular shoulder extends inwardly from theskirt of the retaining member over the edge of the container the freeedge of the metal forming the shoulder, being bent downwardly, a nipplewith an annular bead at its lower edge, said nipple being adapted to fitinto the aperture of said member With the bead thereon engaging theshoulder and the downwardly extending edge of the member to permit it to.be rigidly held between said shoulder and the end of said container.

3. As an article. of manufacture, a device for securing a nipple to acontainer comprising an annular skirt, and an inturned annular flange atthe upper edge of said skirt adapted to extend over the rim of acontainer, the Inner edge of said flange being rolled inwardly tofacilitate gripping of the enlarged outer periphery of the nipple.

4. A feeding bottle comprising the combination of a nipple having abeaded, outwardly extending lower edge, a bottle, a sheet metalretaining element adapted to be secured to said bottle, said retainingelement having an inturned'flange for engaging the beaded edge of saidnipple, the inner edge of said flange being rolled downwardly andinwardly to form an annular space between the downwardly depending partof saidflange and the container engaging portion of the retainingelement for the reception of the beaded edge of the nipple, whereby theinwardly turned edge of the flange looks with the bead on said.

nipple.

5. As an article of manufacture, the combination of a nipple having abeaded outwardly extending lower edge, a sheet metal I inner edge ofsaid flange being rolled downwardl and outwardly to permit it to lockovert e beaded edge of said nipple.

JAMES o. DEEGAN.

